Love Bug
by Zandra's Ashes
Summary: Oh Damn! John is acting strangely, Elizabeth thinks she's lost her mind. And what is with the mistletoe? It's another strange day in the Pegasus galaxy!
1. Chapter 1

Umm….when my muse hit, I didn't intend for this to be a Christmas piece, but there it is anyway. This is just for fun, not episode related in anyway. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make any money from my "borrowing" of these beloved characters.

* * *

Elizabeth stalled at the threshold to the conference room. A quick survey of the room revealed almost everyone was present and engaged in conversation with one another. There was one notable exception. Elizabeth wasn't surprised; John had mastered avoidance as if it were an art to be crafted. And the thought of planning a holiday party had probably set off an internal alarm warning him away from the emotional intimacy, even if it was of the friendship variety.

Elizabeth gazed around the room and smiled at the people assembled before her. She'd be the first to admit she understood why John was dragging his feet. They'd all passed the point of being merely friends a long time ago. And along the way they had become part of something almost even more powerful than family. They had chosen this, and it was their blood, sweat and tears that allowed their very survival. It was a very precious thing they had found in these relationships they had constructed and she treasured it more than she could ever hope to explain.

But these were things she never allowed her thoughts to linger upon, knowing she made decisions that put them at risk every time she approved a mission sending them into the field. And although she hated herself for it, there was always one who pierced her heart more painfully when she was worried. Maybe it was better he wasn't here. The Christmas spirit was definitely breaching her emotional defenses.

Teyla's warm voice rang out as Elizabeth finally entered the room. "Dr. Weir, good morning. Colonel Sheppard said to tell you he would be late. Apparently he is bringing back a present for you, I mean for our party."

"Well that's…different." Elizabeth felt slightly off kilter. The idea of John bringing back something for a party he'd normally take great pleasure in avoiding, that was just-

"Something must be wrong with him. For John, that's not different, that's just…." McKay's voice was fraught was an earnest worry. "That's just…."

"Weird." Ronon said flatly.

Elizabeth felt her lips pressing together and she slipped into her seat. Their fears were echoing her own. But clearly this concern was silly; they were all jumping to conclusions. It would be a fitting gesture for John to try harder to participate for the crew. It had been a tough year; the crew's spirits had never been lower. They needed this chance to have some fun. Hell, they all needed this.

"Well I think it's just lovely." Carson's melodious voice chimed in. "It's like the Scrooge finding the Christmas spirit.

"Who's the Scrooge?" Ronon asked.

Elizabeth's smile returned as she looked upon Ronon, realizing he was only here for Teyla. And Teyla, well she was only there for them. Christmas wasn't a holiday in the Pegasus galaxy, but she seemed eager to help resurrect the spirits of the crew by ensuring that this Christmas was not forgotten.

"We'll explain later, why don't we get started. Now who wants to be in charge of music?" Elizabeth asked.

"Ah, Lt. Cadman has offered her services in that area." Carson said as a soft shade of red graced his checks.

"Just that area?" McKay said smarmily under his breath.

"So Rodney, you are in charge of forming the clean up committee." Elizabeth said, rather efficiently punishing him for teasing poor Carson.

"Hey, that's not fair, I-"

"That leaves food and decorations." Elizabeth ignored McKay's protest, tapping her pen to her check thoughtfully.

"My people would be honored if you would allow us to provide the feast. We would like to thank you for your constant kindness and protection." Teyla said.

"Teyla, that's a lot of food- are you sure?" Elizabeth hated the thought that the Athosians thank you gesture could become a burden to them.

"It would be our pleasure; the harvest was plentiful this year, a great success. In fact, they have been preparing since I mentioned the party. They offered, I did not ask them to do so."

"Well if you are sure, please convey to them it is the crew of Atlantis who would be honored." Elizabeth felt foolish as she blinked rapidly forcing the tears to dissipate from her eyes. If living in the Pegasus galaxy had taught her anything, it was the value of the little things and this gesture was no small feat. Her crew was numerous and had insatiable appetites, but that was a fact Teyla well knew.

"So that leaves decorations. I guess I'll take ownership of that, I'll be glad for any volunteers to assist." Elizabeth said as she rose to her feet, thinking of the spacious area where the party would take place in.

"Volunteering for duty." A husky voice breathed into her ear as strong arms breezed around her waist pulling Elizabeth backward against his chest. His hands laced upon her stomach as Elizabeth stood there stunned beyond belief. Just then John pressed a soft kiss onto her check before releasing her.

His breath against her neck and ear had sent delicious tingles running down her back. His embrace and kiss affected her more than she'd liked, it was hard enough to deny the desire the she felt for him on a normal day. This was obviously not going to be a normal day. If there truly was such a thing in Pegasus.

Her mouth opened as she stared at the equally shocked crew members before her. She knew this was where she was supposed to say something, but what could she say? She had no idea what had prompted that behavior from him. And she was probably failing miserably at trying to conceal the fact she enjoyed it. A lot.

"Teyla reminded me of a planet we'd been too, uninhabited but it had great trees. This is just a little guy, we've got more still in the jumper bay," John said, still behind her.

Elizabeth turned cautiously towards him finding John indicating proudly towards the five foot tall tree he'd left leaning against the doorway. Elizabeth was surprisingly elated at the sight of the tree; it was practically identical to the evergreens on Earth. She loved it, and John had said there were more. She found it hard to believe John had spent his morning schlepping through the woods to do this for her. For the party, she corrected herself.

His voice had sounded more normal now, in the tone anyway. The words emerging from his mouth just seemed a little surreal somehow. Elizabeth studied him closely arching her eyebrow in a manner that normally rendered him nervous.

Now John just smiled cheekily upon her. "Actually Lizbeth, don't you worry about anything. I've got the decorations under control." He bent down and brushed her lips ever so slightly with his own, the sensations sending Elizabeth reeling.

He straitened and moved towards the tree. "Ronon, I think it's time to introduce you to another great American film." John nodded his head towards the door indicating for him to follow.

John then locked his eyes upon Elizabeth. She couldn't remember ever seeing his intoxicating hazel eyes ever smoldering like they did now. It was like he was staring at the last woman left on Earth. Or Atlantis. She felt her knees threatening to buckle as she weakened under his heated stare.

"I'll see you later beautiful." John's voice was husky again as he pointed at Elizabeth before turning on his heel dragging the tree along with him.

Ronon moved past Elizabeth following the trail of something that looked strikingly similar to fallen pine needles, turning back only once with a questioning look in his eyes. Elizabeth couldn't summon a single word; she only found the power to helplessly shrug and prayed it somehow indicated her complete and utter bewilderment. And prayed she had the strength to hide her bodies appreciative response to John Sheppard's recently acquired apparent insanity.

She could hear John's fading voice as he and Ronon moved further down the corridor. "It's called _A Christmas Story_…."

Elizabeth turned slowly back the remaining crew members in the room. "Carson?"

"I told you!" McKay said.

"I'll check him love. Unless…Elizabeth, I take it this is not how John behaves with you…in private?" Carson asked gently.

"God no Carson! There is nothing… we are not together." Elizabeth rejoiced to finally find her voice.

But she would never have the ability to lie, to say there was nothing between them. She could no longer count the times their lips had brushed. Inevitably one of them would come to their senses, painfully leaving their footsteps heading towards separate quarters. She and John had fought against _that_ with everything they had in them, leaving them nowhere near satiated, but somewhat satisfied with their deep, albeit bittersweet friendship.

"I rather enjoy seeing John so carefree. But I would caution you to tread gently with him Elizabeth. If something is indeed causing him to behave this way, to feel a higher degree of happiness and love, I would anticipate that he would feel pain and rejection more intensely as well." Teyla said.

"She's right love. I'll go round him up, but until we get this all sorted it, perhaps it be easier if you just play along." Carson smiled as he gathered up his things. "Unless that would be too uncomfortable for you."

Damn it, he knew. Hell they all probably knew they were half in love with each other. Carson was asking her to cross a very slippery slope, and she was pretty sure based on her reaction to their rather chaste kiss moments earlier that she wouldn't make it. "Carson, I think John would do best confined to the infirmary until we find out what's going on."

"Elizabeth if I don't find anything, I can hardly keep the man there. What would I document in his chart? That he's infected with the Christmas spirit? He caught the love bug?"

Rodney started choking on the pastry he was polishing off. His face turned red as he wheezed in laughter. "Can I write up the report that would go back to Stargate Command? Love bug! This is unbelievable, unbelievably funny rather." He finally forced out.

Unbelievably bad, thought Elizabeth. She had been stretched to the limit with her denial as it was, but if she gave John free reign to touch her, kiss her, act as though he was with her; she knew wouldn't be able to keep him at arm's length for long.

She noticed Chuck teetering on a ladder outside the conference room door. "What are you doing?" She called.

He ducked his head down lower and extended his hand. "Mistletoe. Colonel Sheppard left it with me to hang. Just got finished hanging one outside your office."

Elizabeth's panicked eyes darted back towards Carson. She'd swear he was trying not to laugh.

"Don't panic on me now dear, you can do this. Actually, you two could have been together all along. The crew adores you both. Did you realize they watch you two like you are some bloody reality television show, holding their breaths just to catch a glimpse of that staring in each other's eyes bit that you do? Watching you two gives them something positive to think about for a change. Well, I'd best be off I'll let you know as soon as I've finished with him." Carson's form grew smaller as he walked away.

Elizabeth was dimly aware of Teyla leaving as well. Carson's words were still bouncing around inside her brain like an old school video game she used to be addicted to. What was Carson talking about, what bit with their eyes? And the crew. She'd forgotten the crew. She _couldn't_ just play along, that would-

McKay was clearing his throat loudly. Elizabeth looked at him strangely, wondering when she'd taken the few footsteps leading her out of the conference room. Chuck and his ladder were gone, and McKay was nodding his head upwards. Elizabeth followed his eyes. Mistletoe! She met his eyes, seeing the expectant glimmer in his face.

"Sorry Rodney. If John has a contagion, he probably just passed it along to me." Elizabeth dryly pointed out. McKay's backpedaling would have been endearing if Elizabeth hadn't been considering the validity of her excuse. She needed to be examined as well.

She sighed heavily then braced herself, crossing the corridor to collect her laptop from her office. She'd need something to help distract her from John while she was stuck in the infirmary. She almost ploughed into Caldwell as she emerged from her office. Great, just great. She'd forgotten the Deadalus was arriving with supplies that morning. Caldwell seemed to have a knack for impeccable timing. Just what she needed with John…well with whatever was going on with John.

Caldwell's face was contorting oddly, almost as if he needed to sneeze. Just as Elizabeth was about to step back into her office to grab some tissue, she realized he was attempting to draw her attention upward. Damn it! She growled softly as she pushed past him towards the transport. Mistletoe!

TBC…………….


	2. Chapter 2

"There you are."

Oh Damn. The sexiest, huskiest voice Elizabeth could imagine greeted her as she entered the infirmary. Before she even made eye contact with him, John's arms were around her tugging her firmly against him, kissing her deeply. His hands fell to her hips pulling her lower body snugly next to his as she leaned back. She barely noticed her computer pressed against her ribs, she was overwhelmed with the pleasure of his tongue pressing into her mouth demanding more…

Elizabeth was dimly aware of Carson clearing his throat when John pulled her upright and broke away. She watched John licking his lips with a devilish grin on his face as he moved to rest against the infirmary bed. Elizabeth was reeling from his kiss; she spun around blindly trying to focus her eyes, unable to think coherently. She felt hands firmly steering her into a nearby chair and as she caught Carson's twinkling eyes, she could only thank him silently with a nod.

"Elizabeth, I'm not finding anything, though his endorphin levels are running high. We see this sometimes as a result of constant stress. One of its manifestations is exaggerated highs if you will. I think we should just watch him closely and schedule some appointments with Dr. Heightmeyer. Give him a few days off from active duty, no missions and we'll see how it goes." Carson frowned as he spoke to Elizabeth.

"Think something has to be wrong with me for showing them all you belong to me?" John had eased up beside Elizabeth and was gently brushing strands of hair away from her face.

"Not together Elizabeth?" Carson asked skeptically.

"Carson, we may have crossed the line a few times, but we've never, we haven't…"Elizabeth's face burned with embarrassment.

"I kind of figured as much. I tend to be privy to who is, err, participating in _that _kind of recreation. Speaking of which, take these as you leave. " Carson avoided their eyes as he extended a white paper bag.

Elizabeth and John pulled it open to find it brimming with condoms. Elizabeth would have welcomed the appearance of a huge gaping hole in the floor sucking her down and away from this embarrassment. _This_ was something they definitely didn't cover in her college courses. Growling for the second time of the day, she snatched the bag from John's hand and starting storming out of the room. Teyla's words of warning came back to her and her footsteps stalled. She turned back to John who looked positively pitiful at her abrupt departure. She suppressed her rising sigh and extended her hand towards John. "Coming?"

The smile bounced back onto his face and he seemed to almost bound down the hall towards her, reminding her somewhat of a puppy in his eagerness. But that thought fell away as she watched his smile fade as he neared her. She took a step backward watching his facial expression grow serious as he closed in. His muscles rippled in his arms, his hands grasping the sides of her head as he claimed her mouth again.

Damn. Much nicer than a puppy she thought as her back pressed into the wall. If she was honest with herself, she would have to admit she admitted to herself that she wanted more of this crazy John. Whatever was causing his unusual behavior, well she had a doctor's endorsement to play along. She intended to enjoy every minute of it.

John smirked as he pulled away, probably knowing somewhere in that messy head of his exactly what he was doing to her. "You know, it's past lunch time. Why don't you go back to your office, take care of anything that can't wait. I'll grab us some food. Okay?"

She could only nod in response. She couldn't find the words to say the crazy thoughts now streaming through her head. Breakfast in bed sounds better, she bit her tongue. Maybe _she_ ought to go back to the infirmary. Her head was getting more scrambled by the moment, she didn't care what Carson said, something was wrong with John and she felt sure she'd been infected. She ought to be asking John what the hell he thought he was doing and ordering him to get his paws off her instead of melting into mush beneath his hands.

Elizabeth slumped to the floor when John was safely out of view, her back resting gratefully against the wall. She wondered if maybe she should just confine herself to her quarters until he was back to normal because she…well obviously she could just not function like this. She had never been prepared to love men like John Sheppard. Or lust after them either.

Movement towards her left captured her attention. She tilted her head just in time to see a med tech hanging mistletoe outside the door to the infirmary. Not good. She forced herself to her feet and walked back to her office in a haze, but not so foggy she didn't notice John's minions at work. He had apparently recruited every available military staff member on base. Mistletoe, wreathes, garlands and Christmas trees were beginning to overwhelm Atlantis. She wondered if he had decimated the planet he'd visited- and how he'd gotten it all back. It looked like more than a puddle jumper could hold.

* * *

The same memo had been on her screen since she entered her office. And she had only read one sentence. Her pen was twirling between her fingers, the nails of her other hand nervously rapping the desk. What is it that guys do to distract their thoughts during sex? She had no football stats at her disposal to help dispel the thoughts of John's arms around her, claiming her and not giving a damn about what anyone else might think. In fact, he was acting like his behavior was the most natural thing in the world. Suddenly her mental image shifted to John kissing her again, but this time it was his bare skin pressed against hers. A strangled hissing noise escaped her mouth as she chucked the pen across the room, almost hitting John.

"Sorry it took me so long, but you didn't have to start throwing things at me. I _can_ think of more interesting ways for you to punish me." John's smile spread lazily across his face.

Elizabeth heard a sputtering sound emerging from behind John. She jumped up from her chair moving towards the sound. Chuck rose to his feet clutching the pen Elizabeth had thrown. His face was as red as Elizabeth's shirt. Surprisingly, she found herself more amused than mortified at Chuck's discomfort.

"Thank you for my pen Chuck," Elizabeth said as she approached him, not even bothering to address what he'd heard.

Elizabeth had to take the pen from Chuck's hand; he stood almost frozen in shock. Finally he turned and wandered wordlessly out of the room, Elizabeth moved back to John who had plunked a large bag down on her desk. He perched himself on the edge of her desk and stretched his hands towards her, his eyes locked upon her beckoning her closer. Her feet moved forward against her will, stopping only when there was no longer space to continue. He tucked his head slightly moving towards her face. She forced her eyes to stay open, holding his gaze. She was desperate to know if this truly was John's will or if his conscience was buried behind a contagion, screaming at her to push him away.

What she found in his eyes made her stomach turn in a delicious roll, like the one's she'd always delighted in when riding roller coasters. His hands were firmly holding her hips, and he tucked his head further surprising her when his lips brushed her check. He then moved her backwards and away from him seeming ignorant to her current distress. Her heart had plummeted when he hadn't kissed her, _really_ kissed her. What was wrong with her, why couldn't she get a grip?

"Ready?" John was back on his feet and had picked up the bag.

"Ready…for what?" Elizabeth's disappointment was crossing back into the realm of caution.

"Our lunch date. Let's go tell Chuck." John grasped her hand pulling her gently along.

He paused thoughtfully turning his eyes back. Elizabeth followed his gaze right down to the white paper bag Carson had given them earlier. Before she could protest, they were interrupted by McKay.

"Sheppard this is McKay. Project Snih is a green light."

John tapped his earbud. "See, that's exactly why you're not allowed to name things McKay. What the hell is Snih?"

"It was Zelenka's idea, it's Czech for-."

"Never mind, I'm on my way." John looked regretfully at Elizabeth. "I'm going to have to take a rain check on lunch, but I'm picking you up at 7pm sharp. Meet me in the jumper bay." He plunked a hasty kiss to her check and before she could even start her list of questions that was growing longer every minute, he was gone.

Caldwell entered just moments after John had left. "We just unloaded the last crate and the crew's anxious to get back home for Christmas. We'll be heading out shortly."

Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you, I'm sure a supply run just before the holidays was the last thing your crew wanted."

"Well O'Neil would have sent us regardless; he has a guilty conscience when it comes to troops being in the field for a holiday. I haven't seen what he sent, but I've heard rumors that you're in for some nice surprises. He said they were some "necessities" for the holiday parties.

"Hmm, strangely enough, that sounds like Jack." Elizabeth smiled starting to feel like she was back on solid ground again.

"Oh, I heard about Sheppard. Need some help, or can you keep him in line until it's all sorted out?"

One part of Elizabeth almost asked him to quarantine them apart. But another part, a stronger part answered for her. "No, I think I'll manage." Think being the operative word. Hope would be more like it.

"Elizabeth? I do have one last thing to deliver before I go." He handed her a letter bearing the seal of the President. "I've been copied as well as Stargate command. " Caldwell's voice rang suspiciously with sincerity.

She looked up at him tentatively before grasping the envelope. "Thank you." She paused, hesitating to open it.

"I'll give you some privacy. The Deadulus will be lifting off within the hour. Elizabeth?"

She tilted her head, curious again as to his friendlier demeanor. "Yes?"

"Good luck."

After he had gone, she focused on the envelope before her, unable to answer. Before she had summoned the courage to open the letter, Chuck burst in gasping for breath. He placed a small Christmas tree inside the doorway before nervously. "She doesn't understand, said it's wasteful. She'll probably eat it!"

Elizabeth blinked rapidly, trying to ensure she wasn't having some sort of hallucination. Things were getting ridiculous around here, maybe she was stuck in a dream, unable to wake. "Who…what?" She finally ventured.

"Teyla, you know how much she loves popcorn! Col. Sheppard has the crew making cranberry and popcorn garland, Teyla was not happy. I don't want to make her mad- I've seen her fight!"

Elizabeth tried to suppress her rising laughter. "Chuck, I'm sure Teyla will not harm you. I'll go with you, where does this tree belong?"

"That tree is yours, for your office. Col. Sheppard decorated it himself." Chuck whispered, still looking nervously to the hallway.

Elizabeth couldn't stop the smile stretching across her face. Though she tried to make herself believe it was because of Chuck's irrational fears, not because John had decorated it especially for her.

"Well in that case Chuck, I must insist you go. You were brave to undertake this mission, but I'll take over from here." She pressed her lips together, trying to hide her laughter when Chuck nodded seriously before slipping with relief back into the corridor.

The rest of the day raced by and as she slipped away from her office, she felt a twinge of guilt. She was always at her desk early, but she rarely left before midnight. But she had a date to get ready for. She silently scolded herself for being as excited as she was. She turned before she left; grabbing the unopened envelope Caldwell had delivered earlier.

She gasped as she left her office. The handiwork of John's elves was evident. The Gateroom was breathtaking, everywhere she looked were trees and greenery. The only thing missing was snow. Her heart panged and she realized again, she would miss this John Sheppard. Though managing Atlantis would be much easier. Managing her heart after he was back to normal, that would be another matter altogether.

She had allowed herself a luxurious amount of time to get ready, but she found herself squandering it, looking at the letter. It stared back at her, almost mocking her. Finally, she was afraid if she looked at it much longer she'd hear it talking to her. It had been a strange day after all. With just minutes to spare, she quickly changed, refusing to allow herself to fuss with her hair or makeup. This small semblance of self control made her feel better somehow, though she did feel somewhat justified in brushing her teeth. That was just good hygiene after all.

She arrived in the jumper bay to find John leaning against the back edge of the open jumper. She had to bite down on her tongue to keep from saying the necessary "Oh Damn" out loud this time. She'd seen John in street clothes before, but she'd never seen him quite like this. He sauntered down to meet her and her eyes were drawn to the neckline of his button down shirt, which he hadn't bothered to fasten until the third or fourth button down revealing what she considered to be a delicious expanse of bare skin. Bastard.

The crisp dress shirt was paired with dark denim jeans and black dress shoes she'd never seen before. He had showered recently, she still see the wet strands of his hair jutting about even more wildly than normal. He looked so good she had to turn around just to be sure she hadn't gotten confused; to see if he was really waiting for someone else. They didn't grow men like this where she came from. _He _couldn't possibly be hers. Men like him didn't look at her like he did. But he was.

She saw his eyes surveying her as well. Up and down her body, his eyes leisurely travelled. His smile deepened as his eyes rose back up to meet her. She glanced down and quickly adjusted the top of her dress. She'd forgotten that one had such a problematic neckline. She wondered if subconsciously she had chosen it for that very reason. But then his scent washed over her, forcing most of her thoughts far away from her mind. He smelled like an intoxicating mixture of soap, aftershave and the natural scent that was just him and she was instantly in that thick headed clouded state of being as if she'd had a few too many glasses of wine. It was a delicious feeling. She was thankful that at least they were alone this time. There would be no witnesses to her lack of self control.

Knowing somehow that if he kissed her they would probably never leave the docking bay, she was relieved when he offered his elbow to escort her aboard. "You look amazing." His voice was almost a whisper.

"I was thinking the same about you." She dared to peek her eyes up at him ever so slightly. She sucked in her breath instantly knowing she'd made a mistake. His eyes were dark as his eyes slanted down at her and in that moment they stood frozen, she began to hear the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

John finally grabbed her shoulders pushing him ahead of him. "Don't look at me like that Elizabeth. You are going to make us late and there is somewhere we need to be."

"Well then don't you look at me like that John. And where exactly are we supposed to be? I am a little worried about you flying a jumper right now."

"Elizabeth, Carson cleared me, its fine. Now just sit back relax, it's a short trip. I have this…" John handed her a glass of wine. "And this for your in flight entertainment." Music began playing, a jazz instrumental rendition of Christmas songs as John fired up the puddle jumper.

"John- why do I have a feeling this is all a dream?" Elizabeth found herself almost holding her breath as she finally managed to voice her doubts.

"Because I'm acting a little crazy. But I'm enjoying it, you're enjoying it right?" He glanced at Elizabeth as the jumper cleared the bay. "But you're worried."

"Yes."

"I'm not going to wake up and regret it Elizabeth. You?"

"No." She breathed before gulping down the glass of wine, not even bothering to ask him where he'd gotten it.

He smiled broadly and pulled the bottle out to refresh her glass. "O'Neil is a softy when it comes to troops in the field during Holidays. I had a special order of goodies delivered just for us."

Elizabeth arched her eyebrow, trying to give the imposing thing one last try. Based on the grin he gave her return she figured she'd failed. She just rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"You'll find out what the rest is in good time. Patience Elizabeth." He smirked.

She could only gulp down her second glass of wine in response.

TBC- I promise I will get the last chapter done by Christmas!


	3. Chapter 3

"Just in time." John said as the puddle jumper exited the Stargate.

Elizabeth looked out to the darkened sky before them, wondering exactly what it was they were just in time for. John started rummaging around in the rear compartment, he emerged with a large bag she assumed held food. He set it aside for a moment, refilling her wine glass and filling one of his own with the open bottle between them. Catching her quizzical look he said, "There _is_ an autopilot Elizabeth, I can indulge in a few glasses."

Then she saw the sky illuminate in the corner of her eye. Her heart instantly seized with fear, she wondered who would know to be here waiting to attack them now. But as she turned and as her eyes focused, she realized it they were not under attack.

The sky had come alive in a dance of light before her eyes. The sky had transformed into a masterpiece that no artisan could ever hope to match. Vibrant colors ribboned throughout the sky, vivid blues and greens threading around the top of her line of sight and towards bottom she found the warmth of pinks and purples hazily resting upon the horizon. The shades varied each time she blinked, alternating between darkness and light. The colors rippled before them, wavering as the different colors and shades of light came passionately crashing together before ripping apart again.

"What is this?" Elizabeth breathed, slowly rising to her feet.

"It's an Aurora Borealis, like the Northern Lights over Antarctica." John said softly as his hands draped lightly around her hips.

She allowed herself to lean back into him as she watched the breathtaking show taking place before her eyes. "How did you find this?"

"I had heard the Athosians speaking of the Dance of the Ancestors. That is what they believe this to be, the Ancients dancing upon the skies. It is sacred, many of them take pilgrimages to witness it. Apparently this only happens twice a year." John's breath was hot against her ear, she felt as though she was spinning as she watched the lights wavering before her while feeling the heat radiating from the man behind her.

"It's beautiful John." She tilted her head to look at John behind her, and held her breath when he lowered his head to gaze her lips.

She staggered when he pulled away too soon, but he was nudging her attention back to the sky. The lights seemed to be moving faster now, hypnotizing her deep into a deep trance as she found herself transfixed with the beauty of the vision before her. John held her tight against his chest and for a moment as her heart soared, she felt as though she had somehow transcended the physical restraints of her body and had joined in the dance along with the Ancestors.

She didn't know how long they stood there, she only knew her legs were stiff and protesting when John finally eased her back into his lap as he settled into his chair. She nestled sideways against his chest, tucking her head against his neck as he guided the jumper back into motion. She didn't want to speak, didn't want anything to ruin just how absolutely blissful she felt in this moment. Reality could come crashing in when they landed back on Atlantis, but she refused to allow it to do so a second before.

The jumper docked and John grasped her hand. She reluctantly released her hold on him and rose to her feet, unwilling to meet his eyes. Her emotions were now beyond restraint and looking at him now would reveal entirely too much; more than she could ever hope to handle. She could feel the tension bristling between them, almost as if the air around them was watching breathlessly waiting to see if they would finally give in to their desires or somehow find the will to part.

They had reached the door to her quarters before she dared to meet his eyes again. She was holding her breath, knowing if he kissed her now like he had earlier in the day, hell if he even looked at her like he had earlier today, she would not be sleeping alone tonight. And for the first time she realized, she wouldn't wake up with any regrets. But he didn't. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and tucked a small paper bag inside her hands. "Put it on your nightstand, open it when you wake up." He said.

Then she was standing alone in the corridor watching him almost racing down the hallway. For the second time that day, she slumped against the wall and to the floor. Her head turned in the direction he'd retreated in. After a few minutes, she realized he wasn't returning. She then turned to stare at the bag in her hand, lasting but for a moment before tearing it open. She found a note with John's almost intelligible handwriting scribbled across it. "Breakfast in bed, you'll need your strength for the night. I'll pick you up in your quarters at 7pm for the Christmas party. "

It was the farthest thing from a love note she could imagine, but her heart did the roller coaster thing just the same. She pulled the bag open further. She found a slice of apple pie and a bottle of water. To hell with waiting for breakfast, she thought as she gingerly took a bite of the pie, they'd entirely forgotten about dinner. Sensations of pleasure burst within her mouth as she chewed, but she found herself groaning again. She realized the kind of hunger she had, couldn't be satiated with even the most delicious of pies.

She scraped her mushy self off of the floor and trudged into her quarters wishing she had a pint of Ben and Jerry's to drown her sorrows in. Pie alone was not enough for a single woman in her…well for a single woman. Age didn't matter obviously when it came to these things. She flopped down frustrated on the bed, praying for a respite in sleep.

* * *

Elizabeth woke with a start. She'd been dreaming about things she had no right to dream about and though she technically had the day off, she felt odd to be getting started at such a late hour. She glanced at her watch and groaned. The surprising strength of the sunlight had thrown her. It was only 6:00 am, but she normally never slept past 5:00. She wasn't sure if it was such a good thing, this discipline she had been so proud of for so long. What about quality of life she thought? A little luxury such as sleeping in for an hour weighed so heavily upon her, what would happen if she dared to want more, to indulge in more?

She sighed as she rose and stretched. She put her ear bud in place. "Chuck? How are things in command?" Another full day awaited her, off day or not. And date for a holiday party or not, there were things piling up every minute she stayed away from her office.

She quickly showered and dressed, stopping by the mess hall for a couple cups of strong coffee to take along to her office with her. She was surprised to pick up on the seemingly exuberant vibe of the crew. She paused on the bridge to her office, looking down on the Gate room below. It was filled almost like the day they had first crossed through the event horizon into the great city. Numerous crew members of all departments filled the room, focusing upon the Christmas trees before them. The hum of their collective voices was almost deafening, even from her vantage point. She raised an eyebrow towards the control room looking for answers.

"Col. Sheppard started a contest. Each department has a tree to decorate, you get to pick the winning one tonight at the party." Chuck said.

"Of course I do." Elizabeth thought. Not an honor she particularly relished, especially considering she was all of their bosses. Her fingers brushed the envelop in her pocket. Not today, she whispered to herself.

"Dr. Weir?" Chuck asked nervously. "Merry Christmas Eve."

Elizabeth smiled. "And to you Chuck, and to you."

TBC- final chapter coming soon. Thanks to all for the story alerts and helpful reviews- hope everyone is ready for a blissful holiday season!


	4. Chapter 4

Elizabeth's Christmas Eve morning and afternoon was blessedly spent immersed in a plethora of paperwork, granting her a slight reprieve from her otherwise borderline obsessive thoughts about a certain military colonel. Elizabeth glanced at her watch again and frowned as she finally took leave of her office. Not a very luxurious amount of time, she thought.

After returning to her room and indulging for far too long in the relief of her bath, she toweled off and tugged on her robe. She stepped into her room and stopped suddenly, grasping a glass of wine from the table. She took a leisurely sip while watching John prowl through her closet, wondering if she should be worried that she wasn't altogether surprised to find him here. And she was downright ecstatic at the glass of wine he had so thoughtfully left for her.

"Run out of clothes John?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrow silently speculating about his intentions with her wardrobe.

He turned to her slowly, the lopsided grin on his face melting any thoughts of protest from her mind. "You've been holding out on me Dr. Weir. It's obvious you need a little encouragement when it comes to picking out your outfits."

"Yes, well, there have hardly been occasions to pull most of these out while I've been here. Atlantis isn't quite the glamorous posting the city's beauty would suggest it to be."

"Tonight I think would warrant an outfit just as…impressive as you. Here you go." His hands extended revealing a dress that had never left the safety of her closet.

"John no, not tonight. That dress is better suited to…something more formal."

"What? Am I not worthy of accompanying you? Should I change?" He moved further away from the darkened closet into the soft light of her bedside lamp, giving her a first good look at him.

"John, it's not that, you are dressed…you look…" Oh god. Was it inappropriate for her to tell him he looked good enough to eat? She glanced around the room looking for the bottle of wine. She would need more of that. A lot more.

He had skipped the dress blues in favor of a sleek black civilian suit. And as much as she really, really liked the way he looked in his dress blues, the uniform was a constant reminder of things they shouldn't be doing. This suit…was much more dangerous. She spotted his jacket tossed casually over her desk chair, his tie was nowhere to be seen and she couldn't stop herself from admiring the rear view , err, rather the well tailored pants as he turned back to her closet to begin working his way through her shoe boxes.

She was vaguely aware of the hissing noise escaping her throat. John obviously didn't miss it, he turned and smirked at her in response. Bastard, she thought again. He knew exactly what he was doing to her. She was beginning to wonder if-

"Elizabeth, get dressed. We'll be late." John approached with the bottle of wine in one hand and the scrap of plum fabric in the other. After refilling her wine glass, he placed the wine bottle on her bedside table before casually tossing the dress over her shoulder. She watched as he dropped lazily to her bed on his side, stretching out across the length of the bed while propping his head up with his hand as his gaze hovered over her.

Oh… Damn. Her eyes darted to the bottle of wine on the table but for a second before her feet were moving. She snatched the bottle of wine before turning briskly in the direction of her bathroom. He had broken into a shit eating grin and she had some pretty good ideas of how to wipe the smirk from his sexy face. She tried to forget it was only a tie around a scanty robe that separated her body from his viewing pleasure. If she was smart, she'd just throw on the dress and run. But she hadn't been thinking clearly for two days now. She allowed her robe to fall dangerously low onto her back as she escaped into her bathroom, smiling proudly when she heard the unmistakable sound of his gasp.

* * *

"Elizabeth…..Elizabeth. It's past seven. Elizabeth…" John's voice was calling almost thirty minutes later.

"Some things are worth waiting for John."

There was a brief pause before his carefully clipped answer. "Elizabeth, do you really think you have to tell _me _that?"

The tone of his voice was enough to make Elizabeth briefly consider locking herself in the bathroom tonight. But she'd only be punishing herself along with him. Elizabeth had taken the full time tonight to work on her hair and her makeup, and she was usually not the hair and makeup kind of girl. But she needed all the ammunition she had available to her.

The dress John had pulled from the closet was problematic in many ways. Its neckline plunged low and its hem hit several inches higher above her knees than she was comfortable with. The fabric was a lush velvet died in a plum color that did amazing things to compliment her hair and skin tones, which was the only reason she hadn't chucked it long ago. The fabric's softness would do nothing to deter any straying hands.

Elizabeth felt radiant and was for once confident that she looked as good as she felt. She loved the way her hair seemed to curl more softly about her shoulders now that it was longer. She spotted the perfume Teyla had gifted her with day's earlier and thought hell, last night went pretty damn good, maybe the perfume _had_ helped. John opened the door to the bathroom at that moment, her high heels from hell dangling in his fingers. He dropped them before snatching the perfume from her hand.

"Gift from Teyla?" His eyebrow arched.

"Yes, how'd you know?"

"Lucky guess. " He sat the bottle down on her vanity and palmed her ear bud that had been lying there, grasping it tightly in his hand along with his own. Pressing his mouth agonizingly close to her ear he whispered, "If you want to be sober tonight I'd advise skipping it. On the other hand, if you've been enjoying the lusty haze, then by all means. It smells amazing. Five minutes Elizabeth or I'll carry you out against your will. We still get to have some fun until they've figured out we're onto them."

He sat her ear bud back down and silently mouthed, "Listening."

Great, that was probably McKay's doing. John slipped out of the bathroom allowing her to figure out what he hadn't said in so many words. Their friends had done this, Teyla wouldn't have done this on her own. She was surprised she didn't feel more shocked or upset as understanding sunk in. But that could be easily attributed to being under the influence of ….whatever this was. And she could never argue that she hadn't enjoyed a single moment of the artificially induced high. That delectable aroma that had hinted around his neck, that hadn't been a new aftershave. It had been a new cologne. She'd never smelled that particular scent until yesterday. She fingered the bottle longingly. Did she dare?

She pushed her head through the doorway a moment later to find his fingers flipping around her letter from the President. "Elizabeth, what's this?"

Elizabeth moved forward . "What just wine? No music? Our second date and you've quit trying? I expected more John Sheppard." His heavy eyes seemed to sway back and forth with each exaggerated sashay of her hips. She somewhat smugly assumed he approved of her efforts. "John?"

She took advantage of his endearing state of distraction to pluck the envelope from his fingers, tucking it away on her desk along with her ear bud as she moved away. He blinked at her almost looking confused for a moment. Then his eyes closed and suddenly the lighting in her room fell even further into darkness. The door softly opened to the balcony. She could hear music flowing and spotted candlelight illuminating a small table that boasted another bottle of wine. She sauntered out to the balcony and using the open bottle she'd claimed earlier, she filled the waiting wine glasses.

She tried not to watch John rising from her bed, instead she pulled glass of wine to her lips relishing the warmth of the liquid as it trickled down her throat. He dropped his ear bud beside hers on the desk before crossing the doorway to the balcony. He arched an eyebrow questioningly before tucking his head into her neck and taking a deep breath, catching the unmistakable scent of her perfume. "You're playing with fire Elizabeth." His voice rasped against her throat sending lovely shivers spiraling down her spine.

"Do you really think you need to tell _me_ that John?" She whispered into his ear. "John? "

"Hmm?"

"I can smell, you smell…" Elizabeth felt like she'd lost the ability to even breathe for a moment. "Delicious." She finally ventured.

"Well, how often can we honestly say aliens made us do it?"

"More often than I would have thought possible and we only know for certain that one alien was involved." She whispered as John's lips closed in on her own.

"Like Ronan didn't help." He managed before his lips struck hers.

When John finally pulled away, Elizabeth's lips felt scorched, they were defiantly swollen. She caught a glimpse of herself reflecting in the glass doors of the balcony. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was tousled. She saw John's simmering reflection alongside hers and realized they looked like they'd just got out of bed. Mmm, how she wished. The woman in the reflection looked like she belonged with him, like he belonged to her. In that moment, as she considered their hazy reflections in the balcony doors, she finally believed that he could be hers.

She glanced up catching his eyes heavy with a longing she well understood. She knew they needed to leave now or they never would. And apparently, their absence would be noticed since John had nominated her to judge the tree competition he'd created. Her heart panged as she gently nudged him along to the corridor. They could only play along for so long, she wondered if she was pulling him away from their only chance to be together in the only way they'd never dared. She wondered when the affects of whatever Teyla had concocted had faded, would they ever get so close again?

It was only the smell of John lingering over her shoulder that kept her heart from breaking in that moment. The pull of the toxin finally overpowered the pain, leaving her again under the influence of the intoxicating illusion of pleasure. They finally reached the gate room and she gasped as she spotted the final array of decorations. She spun slowly, her smile creeping further across her face each second she turned. As John's fingers tightened their grasp on her hand, she realized even if they had no more than tonight, she knew with certainty it would be one she'd never forget.

* * *

TBC: One last chapter coming soon, thanks to all who have followed! We'll get a glimpse from John's team's POV to fill in some of the gaps and possibly the mystery of the letter will be resolved. Though I have been tempted to leave that darn envelope unopened.

BTW: I am self-editing and not doing a great job in my haste. Please forgive my mistakes!


	5. Chapter 5

Elizabeth surveyed the Gate Room in amazement. The crew had turned Atlantis in to their very own Christmas Wonderland. Elizabeth moved from tree to tree marveling in delight. It was breathtaking, amazing, and so…

"Grotesquely artificial and unnatural," She inadvertently gasped as she looked horrified upon a tree that only the medical team could have assembled. It looked like a tree that terrorists would have decorated, complete with all the tools of terror they would need to make their hostages spill their precious secrets.

"It almost makes you feel alternately ashamed and amused" John whispered against her ear, completing the quote.

"I had a feeling you'd read more of War and Peace then you alluded to." Elizabeth turned to John feeling more pride than surprise.

"I never said I hadn't read it before." John smirked.

"You really are a secret romantic."

"I have _no_ idea what you're talking about." He avoided her eyes. "Ah, here's my team's tree."

She looked upon the tallest tree in the room. It had been placed in the very middle of the Gate Room. The massive tree bore not a single piece of decoration aside from the impressive golden star shimmering at its peak.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Not quite what I expected. It's seems a little…unadorned."

"It's not finished yet." John smiled as he took her hands, steering her towards the doors opening to the room where the banquet had been laid out. "Time for dinner."

Rich and savory aromas greeted them before they had even crossed the room. A tantalizing array of exotic food was displayed upon a huge table dominating the room. She tucked her head in surprise as she spotted an assortment of familiar favorites along with the Athosians offerings. The collected effect was even more impressive than any gala Elizabeth had been subjected to attend back on Earth.

Elizabeth then noticed a bar set up off to the side of the room. "Let me guess? Jack?"

"Well, I'm sure he'd probably say he had no idea how that ended up on the requisition form."

"Um hmm." Elizabeth smiled and nodded John encouragingly towards the bar. "Wine?"

On a normal day, Elizabeth would have never dared offend the Athosians or chefs from her own crew by wasting the opportunity to indulge in such a feast. But today, as yesterday, she found food was simply unable to touch the hunger she felt inside. She nibbled on the delicacies John had gathered onto their plates, but noticed he seemed to have also had lost a taste for such things as well.

Somehow she found the strength to steer John about the room with her, taking the time to greet and wish happy holidays to every crew member they encountered. They chatted with every Athosian in attendance, often pausing to explain some of the nuances of Earth's holiday traditions, which wasn't an easy task when dradles were displayed alongside the Christmas trees. As usual, the Athosians simply smiled indulgently and were polite enough not to point out the oddity of Earth's constantly conflicting rites and traditions.

The minutes faded into a haze of time she didn't have the care to track while they worked their way across the massive room. Finally, the same faces appeared again and again and Elizabeth almost sadly realized they had finished. Though their numbers were small, the contributions of every crew member could not be discounted. She could never hope to convey the gratitude she felt towards each and every one of them. She could only hope somehow they realized her sincerity in the brief moments allotted to such notions.

She sighed and allowed John to pull her back against his chest. His head tucked into her neck taking a deep breath. She tilted her head back and her breath caught as she met his eyes. It seemed as if everything else in Atlantis had fallen away and they had disturbingly been abandoned to fend for themselves in this gray area.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, his voice was so dark and dangerously deep she almost said no.

"There's no music John." Elizabeth questioned, her only protest as she allowed him to lead her back out to the Gate Room and beside the tree his team had decorated. "And no one else has been dancing."

He drew her unresistingly into his arms as she allowed her fingers to wander happily up his neck before threading into his hair, She pressed her eyes together, imprinting every memory, every image and every sensation of pleasure into her mind, imploring her soul to never forget the heartbreakingly wondrous sensations of allowing herself to give in to his arms. To his heart…

* * *

"I told you this was a good idea. Look at how happy they are. Do you realize how much easier our lives will be if they aren't so frustrated anymore? " McKay twiddled with the remote in his hand, ignoring Ronon who was rolling his eyes.

They were assembled in the control room looking down on the Gate room. John had just pulled Elizabeth into his arms.

"Rodney, it is time." Teyla nodded encouragingly at the remote.

Suddenly the lights dimmed in the Gate room.

"Looks like you're too late." Ronan nodded below.

The soft sound of music filled the air as they watched the lone couple begin to sway before them. Snow suddenly began to fall, the downy white flakes glistening as they feathered through the air dusting John and Elizabeth's shoulders along with the branches of the massive Christmas tree. Then a display of wondrous light illuminated the huge space, making the room majestically feel like it was out in the open and the lights of the Aurora Borealis dancing upon them all.

"You used Ancient technology, didn't you Rodney?" Carson asked.

"Oh, crap." McKay looked at the now useless remote before them, realizing John had somehow tapped into the technology.

"Looks like John beat you to the punch. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy it though." Carson nodded towards Katie who was blushing as she emerged from the shadows. He then turned his eyes back to the Gate room floor.

The projection of the recording Rodney had captured from John and Elizabeth's first date was illuminating the tree's snowy branches with an array of colors Carson had never dreamed possible in real life. He watched the glow shimmer off John's and Elizabeth's faces and wondered if he had been wrong. Light radiated from within them both as they looked in each other's eyes, a light that almost made the Aurora Borealis dim in comparison. "Look at them, would you? Breathtaking."

-------------

"Elizabeth?' John's voice in her ear never ceased to send amazing ripples coursing down her spine, startling her now out of a hazy reverie. "What is the letter from the President?"

Elizabeth's heart jolted and she stopped, pulling away to look in John's eyes. "Why are you asking John?"

"The letter, I may have-"

"John Sheppard did you open my mail? My personal mail that came directly from the President?" Elizabeth was temporarily shocked out of her blissful stupor.

"No, but for the life of me I can't figure out why you wouldn't immediately open a letter from the President. Unless you thought it was bad news."

"Will you open it with me?" She whispered, her heart almost stopping when he pulled it from his pocket. His eyes were as dark as his suit as he considered her reaction, probably leaping to more dire conclusions than she herself was.

He pulled a knife from his pocket, making her briefly wonder what else he had hidden in his suit pockets. The envelope was soon neatly sliced, but she stood frozen, unable to make a move that would destroy her ignorance is bliss kind of evening. John obviously had no such qualms. He pulled a crisp official looking piece of paperwork from the envelope. A smaller piece of paper emerged as he opened it.

"Elizabeth? There's a personal note for you as well." He pulled out the official letter first and handed it to her. Her eyes raced down the paper before tearing the note from John's hand as she finished. He began to read the letter she had just discarded, both oblivious to the fact that everything they were doing was undergoing intense scrutiny.

* * *

"What are they doing? Reading mail? _At a party_?" McKay turned accusingly towards Teyla.

"I told you Rodney, the influence fades more every day. We are only fortunate that we were correct in our understanding that they had intense feelings for one another. Otherwise, the affects would have been radically different." Teyla's eyebrow arched in warning as she responded to McKay. It may have been her idea, but that had only been after several too many cups of devastatingly potent Athosian brew. A fact that Rodney, Carson, and Ronon were well aware of.

They watched as John and Elizabeth exchanged pieces of paper, analyzing them as though it was some all important doctrine. Maybe they had made a mistake, McKay considered, Teyla could have mixed the elixirs too strong or too weak even. They watched with baited breath as John and Elizabeth lowered their letters at the same time, the look in their eyes powerful enough from even this distance that McKay was surprised the letters hadn't caught fire from the heat beneath their fingertips.

* * *

"Did you read it?" She breathed.

Elizabeth felt the corners of her mouth pang as her smile stretched across her face.

"What was in his note to you Elizabeth?" She held her breath for a moment before allowing him to read the President's note over her shoulder.

"Elizabeth?" John's eyes bespoke his unasked question.

"It means everything is going to be all right John. Even after we're sober." Elizabeth arms were already tugging him back towards her when he swiftly closed the gap between them. The moment his lips struck hers she felt the last of her resolve fall away from her heart, accepting with a before unknown clarity that this was supposed to be.

The music suddenly stopped and she emerged from his toe tingling kiss to hear cheers resounding around her. "Merry Christmas!"

She peeked at John's watch, which read 12:01 am. She buried her nose in his neck as the music resumed. Snow magically continued to fall against their bodies and under the rainbow of awe inspiring lights. She looked up and met John's eyes hazily lusting down her body.

Wordlessly she slipped out of her high heels from hell. She tucked them in one hand before allowing John to snatch her other hand, dragging her from the room at a pace damn near a run. They slipped away blissfully unaware of how many pairs of eyes were breathlessly tracking their every move, and undertook the trek back to her quarters. Never before had her quarters seemed so inconveniently far from the Gate room, nor had the journey tested her patience so painfully.

Elizabeth paused in the doorway to her quarters, nodding up at the mistletoe above. It took no further encouragement for John's lips to blissfully clamp down on her own again. Her hands worked their way down his back, tugging on his shirt desperate to finally indulge in the feeling of his skin against hers.

John pulled her leg up around his waist, pressing her firmly against the wall behind them. His hand trickled up her thigh, daring to reach back further to pull her hips even closer. A strangled sound emerged from his throat, almost causing Elizabeth's legs to buckle with the knowledge that she'd evoked that reaction from him.

A sensual laugh she didn't recognize as her own trickled into the air. "You shouldn't be so surprised John, you _did _dress me."

John's other hand snaked around under her dress as he grabbed her hips again, his fingers splaying out across her bare derriere.

"Oh….damn." His voice rasped against her ear as he propelled their bodies firmly into the privacy of her quarters.

A/N- Umm, again, I got carried away. I'm posting an epilogue as well to deal with the **** letter. Thank you all for the reviews and story alerts. *Blissfully indulging in the love*


	6. Chapter 6

--------------

**Epilogue:** Just when you thought I'd decided not to explain the blasted letter. Backed myself into a corner with that one. So here you go.

Warning!

**contrived** [kənˈtraɪvd] _adj_

obviously planned, artificial, or lacking in spontaneity; forced; unnatural

Ok, so the letter should have not been good news. We all know that. But I just couldn't do it. And honestly, some of us can be a little scary when it comes to our desire to see this couple happy So instead, I diverted and went above and beyond the realm of our known reality, but who knows, maybe with some Christmas magic…………

If you're not up for the indulgence of granting some artistic leeway (okay, a _lot _of leeway)- stop now! You've been warned- Twice. I now have to go take down some mistletoe. I've obviously indulged too much in the Christmas spirit. Or spiked eggnog. Damn.

**Flashback **to J&E when they were still on the dance floor and a chance to see what mischief have their friends have found since we last saw them

-------------

"Rodney!" Katie hissed as he almost dropped her flat on her back. She knew what he was doing, he'd been angling for any chance to get close to the letters that had fallen from Dr. Weir's and Col. Sheppard's fingertips when the Colonel had swept Dr. Weir into a kiss that had made her own toes tingle. She was still shaking her head as she pulled away from Rodney and simply bent over to retrieve the papers.

Katie wasn't prepared to be carried away by the wave of John's team, along with Carson and Cadman and how they were all almost salivating to get their paws on the letters. She was pushed to the back of their small crowd, but as she stretched high on her tiptoes and leaned over Rodney she could see one of the papers clearly.

_Elizabeth_

_In light of your recent request for the relaxation of the fraternization rules, I must be honest that certain rumors have not escaped even my attention. If your reports are truthful I feel I cannot withhold my feelings in this matter. Col. Sheppard appears to be a man worthy of any feelings you may harbor towards him. You deserve to be happy Elizabeth, and in seeking such a basic human need such as love I must assure you I will never allow anything punitive to result from this development. To further demonstrate my commitment in this matter, I hereby transfer the oversight of Lt. Col. John Sheppard to myself. In essence, this will make him your equal in leadership of the expedition, a burden you have indicated he is ready to assume. _

_Elizabeth, had I known what I was throwing you into, I never would have allowed you to undertake such a dangerous posting. I find refuge from my guilt in the knowledge that the people you have chosen to stand with you do so with such passion._

_Good luck and Godspeed,_

_Henry_

Katie's heart did a little flip flop of pleasure before she suddenly acquired the same insatiable desire her friends around her had demonstrated to know what was in the other letter.

Carson and Cadman tightly gripped the more official looking document.

"Well don't just stand there, tell us what it says!" Rodney demanded, as though reading Katie's mind.

"Well I didn't have time to read it all, but the gist of it went something like, _circumstances of having troops isolated so far away from home leads me to believe the an adoptance of the don't ask don't tell policy could be broadened to cover an array of personal relationship issues_." Cadman smiled.

"So you did good?" Katie asked.

"We did _very_ good," Cadman smirked, nodding in thanks to Teyla.

"Just in time if you ask me. Can you just imagine otherwise, if Caldwell showed up unannounced right now? We'd lose the majority of the crew to a bloody court marshal." Carson said.

Their eyes turned to survey the room around them, taking in the crowd of dancing couples now covering the floor. Their eyes kept coming back to the one couple that sparkled above all others, brighter than the star glistening atop the snow dusted tree that majestically presided at the center of the grand room. They watched as John and Elizabeth's lips crashed together again as if atoms had tugged them there giving them no choice but to collide and meld together.

"Ahh, our lives are about to change, and for the better I might add." Rodney smiled, dreaming of the idea's he'd been waiting to run by Elizabeth.

"You poor, confused, deluded man." Cadman smirked again. "Look at how blissfully confident she is now. You are doomed."

Katie watched Rodney's smile crumble as he considered Cadman's words. It didn't take a genius to see John's strength supporting Elizabeth would make her damn near invulnerable.

"Oh…damn" Rodney frowned.

* * *

A/N:

In hindsight, I can see the title of this fic would have more appropriately been "Oh Damn" But when the term Love Bug slipped in the first chapter, well, how could I ignore _that_? Forgive me for my shortsightedness and any errors I have made in my haste

I hope you enjoyed, and wish you all a blissfully Happy Holiday Season! See you out there!


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